State Farm's "Slice of Life" presentation encourages Avalon students to think about their financial future

This past Thursday, January 12^th, I had the pleasure of sitting in on State Farm agent Frank Leon’s “Slice of Life” presentation given to a select group of Avalon Continuation High School seniors. The presentation came as an honor to the Avalon campus, as it was chosen by State Farm’s corporate offices as the most compelling human interest story that was part of their “Make it Possible” workshops. State Farm Public Affairs Specialist, Priscilla Orozco, informed me that Sharefest and State Farm’s partnership has made Avalon a winner amongst projects from Texas, Florida, and all over California.

Frank Leon continues to invest in the students of Avalon HighIt was perhaps because of all of this prestige that we were also thrilled to have been visited by Education Editor of online magazine GOOD (www.good.is), Liz Dwyer, who was quite impressed with the frankness and attentiveness with which the Avalon students participated throughout the presentation.

The talk consisted of several practical lessons in finances and advice that greatly benefitted the students who were present, and could have taught many adults a lesson or two as well. Frank outlined a step by step process in which the students could create and manage realistic financial goals for their future.

The presentation was interspersed with anecdotes from a few students who had experience with savings, and even one student who worked closely with Frank at State Farm over the summer. What I found impressive was the fervor and passion with which Frank spoke to the students. They related well with him because he, too, grew up in Wilmington. He understands what it is that these students are not often exposed to, and is dedicated to finding ways to provide real life lessons to Avalon’s small community of students.

I could tell how involved students were by the level Priscilla Orozco equips students for life beyond graduationand seriousness of the questions they asked. Many inquiries were made about accountability of banks and the safety of the public’s deposits, which showed that these students – far from the popular belief that America’s youth is apathetic and inattentive in general – really paid attention to the financial environment that they are essentially inheriting once they’ve graduated high school.

Perhaps the most poignant moment was when Frank urged students to think about the simple expenses people often pay, and to thank those who are covering their necessities in life. Young adults are thought to rarely stop and think about how expensive it is to get by in life. In a conversation with Liz Dwyer after the presentation ended, she remarked that one of her favorite parts of the talk was near the beginning, when Frank and the students were estimating the basic cost of living for a single adult in L.A. All of the students were audibly surprised by exactly how much money it costs just to live in a standard studio apartment, and clothe and feed oneself. One girl shouted out, “I’m never leaving home,” which drew laughter from everyone in the classroom, but really spoke to how difficult it is for someone to make it on their own without certain resources. Frank then took the opportunity to link education with income. There was a slide that listed the difference in income from those with differing degrees, from high school diploma through to doctorates.

Ultimately, I saw that many students were affected positively by the talk. They were humbled by the information that they received, and seemed to take the advice that Frank, and State Farm, was giving them and really ruminated on it. These types of presentations would benefit all students in American high schools, especially in the hard economic times this country has been facing lately. Avalon students were truly lucky to have had a passionate and caring community member come to talk to them.

Frank’s final piece of advice was simple and direct: “Live within your means.”

Additional photos can be viewed here.

Written by Rosie Parra // YDA tutor